Recruitment for the position of Engineering-technical position – FIRST TEAM FENG project, Department of Medicinal Chemistry IP PAS (Part-time -1/2 FTE)

Competition information:

Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences announces competition for an engineering-position under the FIRST TEAM FENG project, No. FENG.02.02-IP.05-0039/23, entitled: „GenProSyn – an innovative generative approach to enumeration of easy-to-synthesize ligands with optimized properties”.

Project Principal Investigator:

Assoc. Prof. Sabina Podlewska

Project Description:

The primary goal of the Project is to develop innovative software enabling generation of chemical compounds which are optimized in terms of physicochemical properties, ADMET, and synthesizability. This is essential to prevent the elimination of compounds in later stages of the drug discovery process. The software will be based on cutting-edge generative neural networks, spefically the Generative Flow Network (GFlowNet) algorithm. We plan to further enhance this algorithm to consider the shape of biological binding sites and incorporate modules for optimizing physicochemical properties, ADMET, and synthesizability of the proposed ligands, while ensuring structural novelty. In addition to computational validation, we will conduct experimental studies on three biological targets, potentially leading to the discovery of drugs for pain therapy, central nervous system disorders, or anti-aging compounds. The most promising ligands will undergo in vivo testing to comprehensively evaluate their potential as drug candidates in these therapeutic areas.

Candidate profile:

R1

Position description and scope of duties

The employee will be responsible for conducting affinity studies of chemical compounds toward the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) and SIRT1. The main duties will include in particular:

1. Verification of the affinity of a total of 160 compounds (60 obtained within the Project and 100 purchased from commercial libraries);
2. Execution of two-point screening for the entire compound library;
3. Performing full seven-point binding curves for compounds with K_i values below 1000 nM;
4. Maintaining documentation of experimental work and reporting progress within the Project;
5. Systematic review and analysis of the scientific literature in the field of opioid receptors and SIRT1;
6. Close collaboration with teams working on molecular modeling and chemical synthesis;
7. Compliance with occupational health and safety regulations as well as procedures for handling hazardous materials, including radioisotopes;
8. Care for the workplace and entrusted research equipment;
9. Adherence to the code of ethics of the PAS employee and to the regulations and orders in force at the IP PAS.

Candidate requirements:

Mandatory qualifications:

1. Higher education in the field of biology, biotechnology, pharmacy or related fields, or secondary education combined with many years of professional experience in in vitro laboratory work;
2. Practical experience in conducting in vitro affinity studies (preferably with G protein-coupled receptors), confirmed by at least 3 scientific publications;
3. Ability to analyze experimental data (e.g., using GraphPad Prism) and to prepare research documentation;
4. Knowledge of occupational health and safety regulations and experience in working with hazardous substances (including radioactive isotopes);
5. Ability and experience in managing databases of biological research results (knowledge of ChemAxon tools preferred);
6. Diligence, accuracy, and independence in carrying out assigned tasks.

Additional requirements (desired):

1. Fluency in Polish.

Salary: 4 000 PLN gross gross (total employer cost)

Employment type: Part-time (1/2 FTE)

Employment Period: 38 months

Employment Form: Fixed-term contract

Required documents:

1. Application for employment for the above-mentioned position together with a cover letter;
2. Scientific CV (including information on education, publications, awards and distinctions, internships, participation in research projects and conferences, completed training, and obtained certificates);
3. Copy of a document confirming the candidate’s educational background;
4. Documents confirming the achievements listed (if applicable), e.g., first pages of publications, diplomas, certificates of participation in research projects and conferences, confirmations of completed internships and training, scans of certificates, etc.;
5. Information on the processing of personal data in accordance with Appendix 1.

Applications with the required documents should be sent in electronic form to the e-mail address: ifpan@if-pan.krakow.pl by 29.09.2025.

The message’s title should indicate which competition the application concerns: “Competition – Engineering-technical position – FIRST TEAM FENG project (September 2025)”.

The competition winner will be selected from among those meeting the formal requirements based on the analysis of documents and possible interviews.

Please be advised that we will contact only selected candidates and will not return the submitted documents. We reserve the right to void the competition without giving any reason.

For additional information, please contact:

Project Principal Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Sabina Podlewska, e-mail smusz@if-pan.krakow.pl,
phone numer: 12 662 33 01.

Recruitment Process:

The assessment of applications will be carried out by the Recruitment Committee, which includes the Project Principal Investigator, representatives of the IP PAS Management and representatives of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry IP PAS (min. 4 people in total), in the following stages:

1. Formal assessment (this stage involves verifying the completeness of documents and the candidate’s compliance with the minimum requirements specified in the competition announcement);
2. Substantive assessment: the Recruitment Committee will conduct a detailed analysis of the candidate’s scientific achievements (publications, participation in research projects and conferences, as well as received awards and distinctions), research accomplishments and specialist competencies necessary for the implementation of the Project;
3. Interview: selected candidates will be invited for an interview, during which their specialist competencies necessary for the planned project work will be primarily assessed. There is a possibility of conducting the recruitment interview online.

Each member of the Recruitment Committee will individually assess the candidate on three criteria: scientific achievements, experience in research projects, and specialist competencies. The final decision on the selection of the candidate will be made based on discussions and mutual agreements among the members of the Recruitment Committee, taking into account the results of the evaluations conducted.

Attachments:

1. Information on the processing of personal data.

Date of announcement:  19.09.2025

Application deadline: 29.09.2025

Interview date: 30.09.2025

Announcement of results: 30.09.2025
Planned start date: October 2025